SURPRISE, Ariz. – No. 11 Kansas State 9, No. 7 Texas Christian 4 – Cooler temperatures hit the Arizona air for Wednesday’s Big 12 Conference Tournament finale. Consider this one the“Battle of the Dark Purples,” which quickly turned into an early showcase for Kansas State as the Wildcats overwhelmed the TCU Horned Frogs with timely hitting and aggressive baserunning.
Kansas State wasted little time taking control, plating two runs in the first inning to establish momentum. The Wildcats’ offense continued to pressure TCU throughout the night, with help from one of college baseball’s premier stars — USA Baseball Golden Spikes semifinalist Dee Kennedy. After a leadoff single, he stole second base and advanced to third on a wild pitch, putting pressure on the Horned Frogs’ defense.
First baseman Ty Smolinski delivered some of the biggest swings of the night for Kansas State. His first two trips to the plate resulted in an RBI double and a run-scoring triple, energizing the dugout.
By the bottom of the third inning, Kansas State was breaking away. Grant Gallagher floated a two-run blooper into left field that dropped just out of reach, extending the Wildcats’ advantage to 5-0.
The Horned Frogs finally showed signs of life in the fifth inning when their bats broke through for two runs, briefly cutting into the deficit and giving them a jolt on their side of the field. Their opponents had a response.
Trailing 9-2, TCU mustered two runs in the bottom of the seventh to cut the deficit to five, and appeared poised for an even larger rally with the bases loaded. With one out, sidewinder Adam Arthur struck out Jack Bell, and Preston Gamster lifted a lazy fly ball to end what could have been a golden opportunity to get back in the game.
Kansas State walked away with the 9-4 victory and will play No. 2 West Virginia tomorrow at 4:30 p.m. MDT at Surprise Stadium.
Where to Watch – The first two days of the tournament will be broadcast on ESPN+. The quarterfinals on Thursday, May 21, will air live on ESPNU. The semifinals will be available on ESPN+, and you can watch Saturday’s championship game on ESPN2.
Big 12 Tournament Schedule
All Games at Surprise Stadium, Surprise, Ariz.
All Times Mountain Daylight Time
Tuesday, May 19
4:30 p.m. – BYU vs. Texas Tech – Game 1
8 p.m. – Utah vs. Kansas State – Game 2
Wednesday, May 20
4:30 p.m. – Baylor vs. Game 1 Winner – Game 3
8 p.m. – TCU vs. Game 2 Winner – Game 4
Thursday, May 21
9 a.m. – UCF vs. Oklahoma State – Game 5
12:30 p.m. – Kansas vs. Game 3 Winner – Game 6
4:30 p.m. – West Virginia vs. Game 4 Winner – Game 7
8 p.m. – Arizona State vs. Cincinnati – Game 8
Friday, May 22
4:30 p.m. – Game 5 Winner vs. Game 6 Winner
8 p.m. – Game 7 Winner vs. Game 8 Winner
Saturday, May 23
4:30 p.m. – Championship Game
Photo: Courtesy of Kansas State Baseball After Win Against Texas Christian
